Origin
Carson, CA
Late night in Carson on Tuesday
Local time
2:27 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carson, CA to San Bernardino, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
71.7 mi
115 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carson, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Carson, CA to San Bernardino, CA is 71.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 25 minutes via the Riverside Freeway, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region for both its start and end points. It's primarily a highway-focused trip, making it a straightforward option for a single-day journey. Expect a relatively quick transit time, ideal if you're looking to get from point A to point B efficiently without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Freeway | 46 mi | 53m |
| Artesia Freeway | 13.1 mi | 15m |
| Gardena Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| Harbor Freeway | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| South Figueroa Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West 5th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Carson Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Riverside Freeway
— 46 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carson, CA and San Bernardino, CA.
1
Start on West Carson Street
94 ft
·
9 sec
·
West Carson Street
2
Continue on West Carson Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
West Carson Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto US 6 Hist
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Figueroa Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 110 North: Los Angeles
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 110
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Harbor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward CA 91 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto CA 91
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Gardena Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on CA 91
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Artesia Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 91
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91
37 mi
·
42 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 215
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 44A
Toward 5th Street, Civic Center
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto West 5th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West 5th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
West 5th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.8 miles from Carson, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 71 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn left toward I 110 North: Los Angeles
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 110 North: Los Angeles
6
2.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward CA 91 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 91 East
6
30.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
CA 91 / Riverside Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91 / Riverside Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
70.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward 5th Street, Civic Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 44A
Toward 5th Street, Civic Center
6
71 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
|
West 5th Street
Turn right onto West 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.48 one way
$32.96 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.98 | $33.96 |
| premium | $6.18 | $17.44 | $34.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.83 | $31.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.53 | $3.44 |
| Efficient EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.27 | $2.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.7 | 0 | $10.04 | $4.59 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
San Bernardino, CA
Late night in San Bernardino on Tuesday
Local time
2:27 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 25m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is heavily highway-focused, with 96% of the drive taking place on freeways. You'll encounter the Artesia Freeway, Gardena Freeway, and the Riverside Freeway, which forms the longest uninterrupted stretch of 46 miles. The character of the drive is consistent, offering a straightforward highway experience for most of its duration. Prepare for a drive dominated by high-speed travel, characteristic of many Southern California freeway corridors.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46 mi on Riverside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Riverside Freeway and Artesia Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 71.7 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.1 miles (CA 91 / Riverside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in San Bernardino, CA
Full guide →Founded 1854
San Bernardino is a city in the Inland Empire in California. It is the site of the first McDonald Brothers Hamburger Stand
Top landmarks
- • San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot — railway station in San Bernardino, the United States of America
- • California Theatre of the Performing Arts — theater and performing arts center in San Bernardino, California
- • San Bernardino County Court House — courthouse in San Bernardino, United States of America
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 71.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46 miles on Riverside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at San Bernardino, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.1 miles (CA 91 / Riverside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Bernardino, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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